. >> greta: why doesn't the president pick up the phone and call john boehner and harry reid? isn't what they're paid for you? sir, you've been quoted as saying we need to cut more spending, but do it in a smart with a that keeps our economy growing. what's a smart way? >> a not smart way to do it is to cut medical research, cut law enforcement. a lot of these proposals over the last couple years by the republicans in the house and senate makes those kinds of cuts. that doesn't make any sense. >> greta: what's a smart w cut d in 2011. we came together in the debate about the debt ceiling and rhode islanandreduced spending by alma trillion dollars. the problem right now is that we have an opportunity right now -- the house should do this -- to pass the tax cut that we passed in the senate. you take care of making sure that middle income families have their tax rates in place. you can settle that question as soon as the -- >> greta: let me stop you there. as i understand it, if that's done, let's say that the tax rates only go up on those who make $250,000 or more per year, i'm